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Wetboy (PEACH)

Wetboy

“I am Sa’kagé a lord of shadows. I claim the shadows that the Shadow may not. I am the strong arm of deliverance. I am Shadowstrider. I am the Scales of Justice. I am He-Who-Guards-Unseen. I am Shadowslayer. I am Nameless. The coranti shall not go unpunished. My way is hard but I serve unbroken. In ignobility nobility. In shame honor. In darkness light. I will do justice and love mercy. Until the king returns I shall not lay my burden down.” – Durzo Blint, Master Wetboy.

Wetboys come from all walks of life, and carry many different skill, but one things binds them all together…killing. For them it is business, and business is always good. They are trained for years to become the best at what they do, and that breeds a strong competitive spirit amongst them. For this reason most Wetboys keep their profession to themselves and value discretion and privacy above all else.

Adventurers
Wetboys adventure for their own reasons. Some want notoriety and fame as the best killers in the world, others want enough riches to retire, some feel that they need the best to be the best. All seek to further their own ambitions and gain what they can from wherever they can.

Characteristics
Wetboys are born into shadows and understand secrecy above all else. They are a quit witted and skilled at thinking on their feet no matter the situation. All of them understand the importance of stealth though most choose one form or another to go about it. Some creep through shadows seamlessly as the night, while others focus on anonymity of a good disguise,
They are all killers and no amount of smiling or costumes will change that. They dedicate their lives to training not just in physical combat, but also in the ways of magic to augment and enhance their abilities. This is what truly makes these hunters of shadows deadly. Though you need not fear a fireball streaking from their hands, that faint sound of a scuffling rat may be more than what you thought.

Alignment
Wetboys don’t dwell much on moral quandaries and all kill for their own reasons. After all is killing a corrupt king noble? Is killing a loving husband evil? In the end it all washes even. Wetboys can be of any alignment.

Religion
Wetboys offer up prayer and thanks to many gods, as there are many wetboys. Religion is a personal choice for them, and whatever helps them sleep at night. Wetboys can be of any religion.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Wetboys are proficient with all simple and marshal weapons as well as two exotic weapons of their choice (A wetboy may use one of these to gain Improved Unarmed Strike instead. Wetboys are not proficient with any armor or shields.

Spells: A wetboy casts arcane spells, which are drawn primarily from the wetboy spell list. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time, the way a wizard or a cleric must (see below).

To learn or cast a spell, a wetboy must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a wetboy’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the wetboy’s Intelligence modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a wetboy can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Intelligence score.

A Wetboy’s selection of spells is extremely limited. A wetboy begins play knowing 5 0-level spells and 3 1st-level spells of your choice. At each new wetboy level, he gains two new spells. (Unlike spells per day, the number of spells a wetboy knows is not affected by his Intelligence score.) These new spells can be common spells chosen from the wetboy spell list, or they can be unusual spells that the sorcerer has gained some understanding of by study. The wetboy can’t use this method of spell acquisition to learn spells at a faster rate, however.

Upon reaching 4th level, and at every even-numbered wetboy level after that (6th, 8th, and so on), a wetboy can choose to learn a new spell in place of one he already knows. In effect, the wetboy “loses” the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least one level lower than the highest-level wetboy spell the wetboy can cast. A wetboy may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that he gains new spells known for the level.

Unlike a wizard or a cleric, a wetboy need not prepare his spells in advance. He can cast any spell he knows at any time, assuming he has not yet used up his spells per day for that spell level. He does not have to decide ahead of time which spells he’ll cast.

AC Bonus (EX): Through years of training and study Wetboys have an uncanny ability to read their opponents movements and stances. This grants them their Intelligence modifier to their armor class. It functions otherwise identically to the Monk’s ability of the same name.

Nimble Strike: From constant drilling and arms practice a Wetboy learns how to make swift elegant strikes with his weapons make up for a lack of physical power. Starting at first level a Wetboy may add his dexterity modifier to damage with all finessable weapons.

Sneak Attack: As Rogue ability

Trapfinding: As Rogue ability

Born of Shadows (EX): Starting at second level when in areas of shadowy illumination a wetboy can bend them around himself obscuring his exact location and granting himself cover. The miss chance for attacking a wetboy in shadowy or darker areas is equal to half his wetboy levels (minimum1) x5%.

Weapon Finesse: A Wetboy gains Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat at second level.

Evasion: As Rogue Ability

Insightful Strike: Wetboys spend years memorizing where to put a blade in a target. After enough field experience it becomes second nature no longer requiring though. At third level a Wetboy gains the ability to add his intelligence modifier to his damage rolls with all finessable weapons.

Penetrating Strike: Fighting against a variety of foe has allowed a Wetboy to figure out how to harm those normally immune to his sneak attacks. He has learned where to drive a blade to halt gears or shift bones. Beginning at fourth level a Wetboy deals half of his precision damage to creatures normally immune.

Shadow Dweller (EX): From a lifetime in darkness a Wetboy’s eyes have adjusted to even the faintest of light and movement through terrain unseen. At fifth level a Wetboy gains Superior Low Light Vision and no longer takes penalties to hide or move silently for moving at full speed and only takes half penalties for attacking from shadows.

Darkstalker: A wetboy has learned to mask himself from most means. When you hide, creatures with blindsense, blindsight, scent, or tremorsense must make a Listen check or a Spot check (whichever DC is higher) to notice you, just as sighted creatures would make Spot checks to detect you. You cannot hide in plain sight unless you have that ability as a class feature. In addition, you can fl ank creatures that have the all-around vision special quality.

Hide in Plain Sight (EX): At 5th level, a Wetboy can use the Hide skill even while being observed. As long as he is within 10 feet of some sort of shadow, a wetboy can hide himself from view in the open without having anything to actually hide behind.

Skill Mastery: At fifth level a wetboy chooses 3+int mod skills to gain skill mastery in. He can always choose to take 10 in these skills even if distracted or rushed.

Uncanny Dodge: As Rogue Ability

Detect Hostility (SU): Beginning at 7th level a Wetboy can sense danger and hostility even if masked within a close bubble around him. He is considered to always be under the effects of a Detect Hostile Intent power.

Nondetection (SU): At 8th level a wetboy gains the benefits of being under the effect of Nondetection at all times with a caster level equal to his wetboy class level.

Mettle (EX): At 9th level, a wetboy can resist magical and unusual attacks with great willpower of fortitude. If he makes a successful will or fortitude save against an attack that normally would have a lesser effect on a successful save (such as a spell with a saving throw entry of Will half or Fortitude partial), he instead completely negates the effect. An unconscious or sleeping wetboy does not gain the benefit of mettle.

True Mastery: For every skill that a wetboy has skill mastery in he now adds half his wetboy levels as a bonus modifier.

Arcane Sight (SU): Beginning at 10th level a Wetboy is treated as being under the effects of Arcane Sight permanently.

Battle Cunning (EX): A wetboy adds his Intelligence modifier to all saving throws as an insight bonus

Weakening Strike(EX): When a wetboy gains this ability he chooses one ability score. Once this ability score has been chosen it can not be changed. His Sneak attacks deal 2 points of damage to the chosen ability score.

Cloaked Aura(Su): A wetboy gives off no aura for himself or his gear under any form of detection. For example, a wetboy can hold a Holy Avenger out in the open while under the affects of a mage armor spell and neither gives off a magical aura to detect.

Arcane Enhancement: A wetboy’s body is intune with the forces of its own arcane energy. He has learned to enhance himself with it in several ways. A wetboy can sacrifice spell slots for a bonus that lasts one minute equal to the level of the spell(s) sacrificed. For the purpose of this spell cantrips count as ½ level.
Inhuman Speed: The wetboy gains an enhancement bonus to his speed equal to spell level sacrificedx5ft and can move up to his modified movement speed as a free action once per round.
Inhuman Strength: The wetboy can channel his arcane might to enhance his strength by the total spell levels sacrificed.
Regeneration: The wetboy can fast healing equal to the total levels of spells sacrificed
Preternatural reflexes: The wetboy gains a bonus to dexterity and reflex saves
Battle Wisdom: A bonus to his wisdom and will saves
Magical Fortitude: A bonus to constitution and fort saves
Attuned Intelect: A bonus to Intelligence
Spell grace: A bonus to charisma
Battle Demon: A bonus on attack rolls equal to spell levels lost, extra damage equal to 1d4 per spell level lost, and the ability to move between each attack in a full attack action

Arcane Fortification (Su): The magic inside a Wetboy will use his senses and protect him from dangerous blows. A wetboy with at least 1 spell level left has moderate fortification.

Re: Wetboy (PEACH)

Adventurers
Wetboys adventure for their own reasons. Some want notoriety and fame as the best killers in the world, others want enough riches to retire, some feel that they need the best to be the best. All seek to further their own ambitions and gain what they can from wherever they can.

Characteristics
Wetboys are born into shadows and understand secrecy above all else. They are a quit witted and skilled at thinking on their feet no matter the situation. All of them understand the importance of stealth though most choose one form or another to go about it. Some creep through shadows seamlessly as the night, while others focus on anonymity of a good disguise,
They are all killers and no amount of smiling or costumes will change that. They dedicate their lives to training not just in physical combat, but also in the ways of magic to augment and enhance their abilities. This is what truly makes these hunters of shadows deadly. Though you need not fear a fireball streaking from their hands, that faint sound of a scuffling rat may be more than what you thought.

Alignment
Wetboys don’t dwell much on moral quandaries and all kill for their own reasons. After all is killing a corrupt king noble? Is killing a loving husband evil? In the end it all washes even. Wetboys can be of any alignment.

Religion
Wetboys offer up prayer and thanks to many gods, as there are many wetboys. Religion is a personal choice for them, and whatever helps them sleep at night. Wetboys can be of any religion.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Wetboys are proficient with all simple and marshal weapons as well as two exotic weapons of their choice (A wetboy may use one of these to gain Improved Unarmed Strike instead. Wetboys are not proficient with any armor or shields.

Spells: A wetboy casts arcane spells, which are drawn primarily from the wetboy spell list. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time, the way a wizard or a cleric must (see below).

To learn or cast a spell, a wetboy must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a wetboy’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the wetboy’s Intelligence modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a wetboy can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Intelligence score.

A Wetboy’s selection of spells is extremely limited. A wetboy begins play knowing 5 0-level spells and 3 1st-level spells of your choice. At each new wetboy level, he gains two new spells. (Unlike spells per day, the number of spells a wetboy knows is not affected by his Intelligence score.) These new spells can be common spells chosen from the wetboy spell list, or they can be unusual spells that the sorcerer has gained some understanding of by study. The wetboy can’t use this method of spell acquisition to learn spells at a faster rate, however.

Upon reaching 4th level, and at every even-numbered wetboy level after that (6th, 8th, and so on), a wetboy can choose to learn a new spell in place of one he already knows. In effect, the wetboy “loses” the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least one level lower than the highest-level wetboy spell the wetboy can cast. A wetboy may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that he gains new spells known for the level.

Unlike a wizard or a cleric, a wetboy need not prepare his spells in advance. He can cast any spell he knows at any time, assuming he has not yet used up his spells per day for that spell level. He does not have to decide ahead of time which spells he’ll cast.

AC Bonus (EX): Through years of training and study Wetboys have an uncanny ability to read their opponents movements and stances. This grants them their Intelligence modifier to their armor class. It functions otherwise identically to the Monk’s ability of the same name.

Nimble Strike: From constant drilling and arms practice a Wetboy learns how to make swift elegant strikes with his weapons make up for a lack of physical power. Starting at first level a Wetboy may add his dexterity modifier to damage with all finessable weapons.

Sneak Attack: As Rogue ability

Trapfinding: As Rogue ability

Born of Shadows (EX): Starting at second level when in areas of shadowy illumination a wetboy can bend them around himself obscuring his exact location and granting himself cover. The miss chance for attacking a wetboy in shadowy or darker areas is equal to half his wetboy levels (minimum1) x5%.

Weapon Finesse: A Wetboy gains Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat at second level.

Evasion: As Rogue Ability

Insightful Strike: Wetboys spend years memorizing where to put a blade in a target. After enough field experience it becomes second nature no longer requiring though. At third level a Wetboy gains the ability to add his intelligence modifier to his damage rolls with all finessable weapons.

Penetrating Strike: Fighting against a variety of foe has allowed a Wetboy to figure out how to harm those normally immune to his sneak attacks. He has learned where to drive a blade to halt gears or shift bones. Beginning at fourth level a Wetboy deals half of his precision damage to creatures normally immune.

Shadow Dweller (EX): From a lifetime in darkness a Wetboy’s eyes have adjusted to even the faintest of light and movement through terrain unseen. At fifth level a Wetboy gains Superior Low Light Vision and no longer takes penalties to hide or move silently for moving at full speed and only takes half penalties for attacking from shadows.

Darkstalker: A wetboy has learned to mask himself from most means. When you hide, creatures with blindsense, blindsight, scent, or tremorsense must make a Listen check or a Spot check (whichever DC is higher) to notice you, just as sighted creatures would make Spot checks to detect you. You cannot hide in plain sight unless you have that ability as a class feature. In addition, you can fl ank creatures that have the all-around vision special quality.

Hide in Plain Sight (EX): At 5th level, a Wetboy can use the Hide skill even while being observed. As long as he is within 10 feet of some sort of shadow, a wetboy can hide himself from view in the open without having anything to actually hide behind.

Skill Mastery: At fifth level a wetboy chooses 3+int mod skills to gain skill mastery in. He can always choose to take 10 in these skills even if distracted or rushed.

Nimble Charger: At 6th level, a wetboy gains the ability to charge in situations where others cannot. She may charge over difficult terrain that normally slows movement. Depending on the circumstance, she may still need to make appropriate checks to successfully move over the terrain.

Uncanny Dodge: As Rogue Ability

Detect Hostility (SU): Beginning at 7th level a Wetboy can sense danger and hostility even if masked within a close bubble around him. He is considered to always be under the effects of a Detect Hostile Intent power.

Nondetection (SU): At 8th level a wetboy gains the benefits of being under the effect of Nondetection at all times with a caster level equal to his wetboy class level.

Pounce: A wetboy may full attack as part of a charge action.

Mettle (EX): At 9th level, a wetboy can resist magical and unusual attacks with great willpower of fortitude. If he makes a successful will or fortitude save against an attack that normally would have a lesser effect on a successful save (such as a spell with a saving throw entry of Will half or Fortitude partial), he instead completely negates the effect. An unconscious or sleeping wetboy does not gain the benefit of mettle.

True Mastery: For every skill that a wetboy has skill mastery in he now adds half his wetboy levels as a bonus modifier.

Arcane Sight (SU): Beginning at 10th level a Wetboy is treated as being under the effects of Arcane Sight permanently.

Speed Bonus: At 11th level a wetboy’s speed becomes such that most men can not hope to keep up. He gains a bonus to speed equal to his wetboy level/4 (rounded down0 x 5ft. For example an 11th level wetboy would gain a 10ft enhancement bonus to speed (11/4=2.75=2x5=10)

Combat Acrobat (EX): At 12th level a Wetboy can ignore magically generated difficult terrain as if under a Freedom of Movement spell with a caster level equal to his Wetboy Level. Additionally, as long as he has line of sight and the movement necessary to reach a target he may charge them regardless of how many turns he must make.

Battle Cunning (EX): A wetboy adds his Intelligence modifier to all saving throws as an insight bonus

Weakening Strike(EX): When a wetboy gains this ability he chooses one ability score. Once this ability score has been chosen it can not be changed. His Sneak attacks deal 2 points of damage to the chosen ability score.

Cloaked Aura(Su): A wetboy gives off no aura for himself or his gear under any form of detection. For example, a wetboy can hold a Holy Avenger out in the open while under the affects of a mage armor spell and neither gives off a magical aura to detect.

Arcane Enhancement: A wetboy’s body is intune with the forces of its own arcane energy. He has learned to enhance himself with it in several ways. A wetboy can sacrifice spell slots for a bonus that lasts one minute equal to the level of the spell(s) sacrificed. For the purpose of this spell cantrips count as ½ level.

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Inhuman Speed: The wetboy gains an enhancement bonus to his speed equal to spell level sacrificedx5ft and can move up to his modified movement speed as a free action once per round.

Inhuman Strength: The wetboy can channel his arcane might to enhance his strength by the total spell levels sacrificed.

Regeneration: The wetboy can fast healing equal to the total levels of spells sacrificed

Preternatural reflexes: The wetboy gains a bonus to dexterity and reflex saves

Battle Wisdom: A bonus to his wisdom and will saves

Magical Fortitude: A bonus to constitution and fort saves

Attuned Intelect: A bonus to Intelligence

Spell grace: A bonus to charisma

Battle Demon: A bonus on attack rolls equal to spell levels lost, extra damage equal to 1d4 per spell level lost, and the ability to move between each attack in a full attack action

Arcane Fortification (Su): The magic inside a Wetboy will use his senses and protect him from dangerous blows. A wetboy with at least 1 spell level left has moderate fortification.

Re: Wetboy (PEACH)

Originally Posted by bobthe6th

also, class skills(all) is broken, and should be limited to some amount from a list plus UMD/UPD.

While I would agree this is currently overpowered, I take issue with this particular statement. The only classes in D&D with class skills (all) are the factotum from Dungeonscape and the savant from the Dragon Magazine Compendium, which are Tiers 3 and 4 respectively.

In addition, having spellcasting makes UMD much less useful, so that in turn makes class skills (all) considerably less useful.

Re: Wetboy (PEACH)

Sorry about the formatting. First time posting a class in homebrew. I am currently still working on the spell list for this class. I understand this class gets alot, but it is intended to be a suped up rogue. To me the spell thief and beguiler don't cut it. When designing it I looked at skills an assassination/infiltration expert should have and at the problems rogues and mele have against enemies and when balanced against other classes.

Alot of the abilities I granted it are combinations of common rogue builds. Some of them tweaked to scale, others at approximate ecls they could be attained. Some of the unique abilities i understand are strong. This is the reason I am asking for PEACHing.

If you can be more specific on what makes this powerful enough that you feel it would take a member of the big 5 to take it down then I can modify accordingly to bring this to balance.

Re: Wetboy (PEACH)

From a mechanical perspective, the class is overpowered, if not broken. They have considerable martial abilities, Sneak Attack, and spellcasting. Plus, they receive all skills and 8 skill points per level. There's little they can't do.

From the perspective of writing, the fluff is lackluster. What I'm seeing is just a cut-and-dry, two dimensional homicidal maniac, which describes just about any combat-oriented PC you'll ever see. Giving them a requisite neutral or no alignment would at least play up their amorality.

I understand its origin, but as written, this class is just short of god-mode: invincible and boring.

Re: Wetboy (PEACH)

Scotchland. Wetboys are from Brent Weeks Night Angel Trilogy. If you have read the books I do not see how you could consider giving them an aligment requirement. Durzo and Kylar are obviously good aligned...especially Kylar. Hu Gibbet is a screwed up twist beyond belief as dark as any chaotic stupid could be. Vi kinda flops about to becoming good by the end. They all have different alignments and change throughout the series.

Re: Wetboy (PEACH)

AlignmentWetboys don’t dwell much on moral quandaries and all kill for their own reasons. After all is killing a corrupt king noble? Is killing a loving husband evil? In the end it all washes even.

The class lacks focus. Regardless of their motivations, the class is about destruction through any means. This monomaniacal obsession with the extermination of life does not lend itself well to pretensions of good or evil.

You're also forgetting that morality is a material property in D&D. Good characters are supposed to kill only as a last resort. Instead, Care Bear Stares are much preferred.

Re: Wetboy (PEACH)

From the series wetboys are magical assassins. Their magic is inate. Without it, you don't have a wetboy...you just have an assassin. They are considered to assassins as tigers are to house cats. They have deaders because once they take a contract the rest of the deader's life is just a formality. Assassins have targets, because they can miss.

Wetboys are trained from the time they are children, usually street orphans to become the perfect killing machines. Drilled constantly in hand to hand combat, weapons, poisons, disguise, stealth, politics, and upon reaching puberty how to use their magic. They develop covers as in depth as a normal person's life.

They are tought friedship is a rope tied to them, and love is a noose. Pain is to be ignored. Life is empty and worthless, so they shouldn't feel anything when they kill, because they aren't taking anything of value. Aside their own personal beliefs they really don't have much else to them of flavor. Even in the series.

Most of this classes spells will be from the schools of illusion, enchantment, divination and transmutation schools. Mainly, because throughout the series they are not shown hurling fireballs, summoning creatures, creating walls of stome, and the like but instead focusing on stealth, self enhancement, illusions, and persuasion.

Re: Wetboy (PEACH)

whether the fluff is good or not has no impact on the playability of the class. fluff can be changed with 10 minutes and an imagination, balanced mechanics not so much. A class should be more grounded in the mechanical, otherwise just re-fluff another class(I put money on a psychic warrior that trades its feats for skills and some rogue class features).

edit: ...and mechanically that means? also, arcane is not a good choice for the casting. I would urge a ki mechanic, as it fits the fluff better... and has the ninja class ready to be fixed up with more options.

additionally, most of the fluff is setting specific and limiting as hell. This should be a base class, not a prestige class. give them real options.

Re: Wetboy (PEACH)

Originally Posted by Azoth

From the series wetboys are magical assassins. Their magic is inate. Without it, you don't have a wetboy...you just have an assassin. They are considered to assassins as tigers are to house cats. They have deaders because once they take a contract the rest of the deader's life is just a formality. Assassins have targets, because they can miss.

Wetboys are trained from the time they are children, usually street orphans to become the perfect killing machines. Drilled constantly in hand to hand combat, weapons, poisons, disguise, stealth, politics, and upon reaching puberty how to use their magic. They develop covers as in depth as a normal person's life.

They are tought friedship is a rope tied to them, and love is a noose. Pain is to be ignored. Life is empty and worthless, so they shouldn't feel anything when they kill, because they aren't taking anything of value. Aside their own personal beliefs they really don't have much else to them of flavor. Even in the series.

Most of this classes spells will be from the schools of illusion, enchantment, divination and transmutation schools. Mainly, because throughout the series they are not shown hurling fireballs, summoning creatures, creating walls of stome, and the like but instead focusing on stealth, self enhancement, illusions, and persuasion.

Re: Wetboy (PEACH)

The problem with invocations is that they are an always there unlimited use thing. While most wetboys have alot of juice in the magic department they do run out in the series and are on several occassions left with just their martial training, gear, and wits. Most of their magic is taught to them, but the ability to use magic is inate within them. I considered making them prepaired casters, but they are the type to use what they know on the fly.

I gave them slightly modified duskblade casting to give them some good spells, but nothing world changing. Aside the sheer number of abilities they have at the moment I don't see their chassis as that much better than the ranger. Lower BAB, two good saves, 6 skill points a level, partial caster.

I am open to suggestions on how to reign in their abilities and balance them to about high tier 3 low tier 2. Comments about how they are just straight up win and on par with dire tortoise polymorphed wizards, that have played 20 questions with god 5 times that day, are buffed to the nine waiting on their personal demiplane for enemiess will be ignored.

Re: Wetboy (PEACH)

Originally Posted by bobthe6th

whether the fluff is good or not has no impact on the playability of the class. fluff can be changed with 10 minutes and an imagination, balanced mechanics not so much. A class should be more grounded in the mechanical, otherwise just re-fluff another class(I put money on a psychic warrior that trades its feats for skills and some rogue class features).

I disagree, but this is not the place for that discussion.

Originally Posted by Azoth

The problem with invocations is that they are an always there unlimited use thing. While most wetboys have alot of juice in the magic department they do run out in the series and are on several occassions left with just their martial training, gear, and wits. Most of their magic is taught to them, but the ability to use magic is inate within them. I considered making them prepaired casters, but they are the type to use what they know on the fly.

I gave them slightly modified duskblade casting to give them some good spells, but nothing world changing. Aside the sheer number of abilities they have at the moment I don't see their chassis as that much better than the ranger. Lower BAB, two good saves, 6 skill points a level, partial caster.

The first thing to do is to post the spell list. After that, try to make it less...perfect; it hardly has any weaknesses (and no, its inability to love life doesn't count ).

The first thing I notice is the totally synergistic nature of its abilities. It has sneak attack, an ability to bypass immunity to sneak attacks, Nimble Charger, and pounce. Combine this with abilities such as Darkstalker, Hide in Plain Sight, and Speed Bonus, and it can initiate full attacks/sneak attacks on whatever it wants, whenever it wants. Additionally, at mid and high levels, it gains passive anti-divination abilities and magic resistance, as well as divination abilities of its own. This doesn't even count the as of yet undetailed spellcasting.

The second thing I notice is that its awfully heavily front-loaded; it gains a good number of its best abilities within the first five levels.

Its skill points and class skills are also a problem, but a problem for another time.

This class isn't a team player. For solo game, it might be fun for a high-powered one-shot, but it's far too potent for anything else. I recommend that you at least drop the charging abilities and/or move Penetrating Strike up to mid- or high-levels.

Re: Wetboy (PEACH)

The chassis is fine-- I'm not sure why people are complaining about all skills as class skills; the factotum gets that and is a popular example of a well-balanced T3 class. The abilities look fine at a quick glance-- I mean, they're very good, but apart from the magic-related stuff, look like a solid rogue-boost. If anything, they're on the frail side, with a d6 hit die, no armor, and no AC-boosting abilities, besides the situational miss chance from shadows.

And then you add in spells. A lot of spells. You'll have a baseline of six spells known per level-- more than the Sorcerer-- and have almost twice the spells/day/level of anything outside the Duskblade. Without a spell list, it's hard to judge just how much of a power boost that'll be, but it'll be significant. The schools you're talking about are all highly powerful, though, so I be worried. The lack of 9th level spells will keep you out of T2, but not necessarily in a good way. You're going to be treading on a lot of toes here.

My suggestion? Cut the casting way back-- think bard levels-- but let them cast in full armor. Take out some of the physical warrior abilities (especially pounce and mettle.) Prune the sneak attack back to half, maybe two-thirds the normal progression, but add in the assassin's death attack at higher levels. To compensate, come up with some abilities that help blend stealth and magic (free silent spell is a good start. Maybe the ability to channel spells through a sneak attack?)

tl;dr: Pick an area of focus-- either a rogue with light casting, or a slightly more martial beguiler-- and stick to it.

Originally Posted by Grod_The_Giant

Grod's Law: You cannot and should not balance bad mechanics by making them annoying to use

Re: Wetboy (PEACH)

I dont know how much difference this will make, but from my experience, it is incredibly difficult to say "Now, what exact stats would XXX have in D&D?" when making a class. It is easier to generalize, and say "What kind of class would it make sense for XXX to belong to?"

For example, instead of making a class, and trying to balance while still keeping everything accurate, take some of what you have, and run with that. Like, if you like the idea of an arcane rogue guy, work on making a class from that perspective. It seems to be easier to work with a general concept, and then stick it to the fluff you want.

"To play a fighter is to play the game.
To play a wizard is to understand the rules.
To understand the rules, and play a fighter, is to understand the game."
-Lycar

Originally Posted by jiriku

...magical trumps mundane so often that mundane really needs to be able to give magic a good kick in the junk now and then.

Re: Wetboy (PEACH)

I have cut the sneak attack in half, removed the charging and pounce abilities, dropped the skill points to 6 per level. I am still pouring through sourcebooks working on the spells and going blurry eyed from it.

The lack of armor is again a theme thing from the book series they are based on. I figured that adding another stat to the AC would help to compensate. They aren't anymore frail than a wizard really.

Re: Wetboy (PEACH)

I'd start by limiting them to the Rogue skill list plus Concentration and Spellcraft, that should be plenty enough skills (alternatively, check the Assassin skill list and just use that, it's got everything you need). They're not complete skillmonkeys, but are skillful enough to get some stuff. You don't need stuff like Perform or Ride or Diplomacy or Use Psionic Device (or rather, some of those just don't fit the fluff of wetboys). The rest of the class chassis looks perfect.

Furthermore, the class is very much front-loaded, so it's better to move some abilities to later levels. I'd especially move Hide in Plain Sight, because there is no way to get it before level 6 in DnD, and at level 6 you can have it only with heavy prerequisites. Make it level 9 at the earliest. The same goes for Skill Mastery and of course True Mastery (which could be a really good capstone, or part of a capstone, or a near-capstone).

Also, why do they have Mettle? Wetboys tend to be strong-willed and have an easier time shrugging off magic, but that's simply because they're more experienced with it than most people, and they're not particularly tough. Instead, you could give them Slippery Mind anywhere after level 10.

I'd move Uncanny Dodge a little earlier (like level 3) and give them Improved Uncanny Dodge as well. That gives you some filling in again with level-appropriate abilities where you removed some other abilities earlier that you moved to later levels.

Giving them Nimble Strike before Weapon Finesse is weird. Put Weapon Finesse at level 1 and Nimble Strike later, like level 4. Move up Darkstalker to level 5 (or 6, since if you move Uncanny Dodge down to level 3, level 6 will be empty unless you put Improved Uncanny Dodge there), but allow them to take a different feat if they already have Darkstalker.

As for Born of Shadows, shadowy illumination gives 20% concealment so you won't benefit from it until level 8 -- and in fact they way you worded it you might be decreasing your concealment until then. Perhaps it is wise to change the wording so it doesn't do that, or move it up a little. If you move it to later levels, make sure to put Hide in Plain Sight later than Born of Shadows, because it is a very good prerequisite ability for Hide in Plain Sight.

Arcane Enhancement is a very nice and flavourful ability, but you get it way too late. I'd put it much earlier, like around level 10 or just a few levels earlier, and perhaps put some level prerequisites on some of the stronger abilities (like regeneration). That way, you get it earlier and have more scaling on the ability.

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